The Best Sennheiser Headphones – Complete Guide

We swear by Sennheiser’s audio signature. Over the years, they have defined and redefined the yardstick for hi-fidelity sound that reminds us what music really feels like. They have forayed deeper into the realms of sonic intricacies to bring us refreshingly pure notes. They debuted a separate high-resolution headphones line that is a barometer of the refinement in audio technology. High definition or not, they always add enough kick to their sound that you are forced to reach out to them. Picking the best of Sennheiser is a dicey business. So we selected 7 Sennheiser headphones that excel in their targeted customer base and retain the stellar standards of Sennheiser’s acoustics.

Are Sennheiser headphones really worth it?

Most of their cans come with a hefty price-tag. Unlike some flashy brands (read Beats), Sennheiser headphones always bang big for their bucks. This could be in terms of deliciously warm audio, stoically poised HD sound, premium leather build, velour-lined interiors or even their slick aesthetics. You will never be disappointed at the price you pay for the best Sennheiser cans.

Sennheiser headphones vs Sony headphones

It’s like comparing apples and oranges. Each headphone is streamlined to serve a purpose. Some may be studio headphones, some with bass boost for hot music, some may be forgiving enough to be driven by portable MP3 players. The only way to pit Sennheiser against Sony on equal ground is to find headphones from both brands designed for the same mission and lying in the same price-coordinate.

Which Sennheiser headphones should I buy?

We would buy all of them if we could. Sennheiser is known for an undeniably sweet sound signature that lacks in nothing. Picking the best Sennheiser headphones is no easy task. But here’s what we looked for:

Audio:We selected those Sennheiser headphones which were top rated by their intended demographic. A casual listener telling you HD800 is not bass-boosted is not counted as an unbiased opinion source. We know the listener is looking for melons amongst oranges and complaining that the orange is not large enough.

Cost: Owing to its new High-resolution line, Sennheiser has some outrageously expensive cans. However, we stuck to the affordable to mid-range headphones which are popularly bought.

Comfort: Sennheiser headphones are generally easy on the head. The best Sennheiser headphones picked here make headphones feel like home: snug and soft.

Type:Closed-back and open-back headphones and earphones are covered in our best Sennheiser headphones list.

Sennheiser Momentum 2.0s have the complete package for a fairly wide range of people and musical tastes. They have a rich sound that is meant to flatter all types of music. They do not belong in a studio, rather, they are for the audience that wants to enjoy music from portable devices even in lossy formats.They are the best Sennheiser headphones that can sound exciting without shelving all the details.

Audio Performance

Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 have the most pleasant sound we have heard in this price range. Audiophiles to bassheads, everyone will revel in the deep and rich audio of these cans. The lower-end is bumped without creating an imbalance with mids in any genre. Sub-bass penetration is significant. So much so they complement the bass extension without muddying the mids. With mids, Sennheiser does make them sound delectable. The smoothness may take away the details you would hear with HD 700, which is a high resolution headphone. Treble has a lot of shimmer to offer but at absurdly high volume, it can get harsh. Soundstage is expansive in depth and width and stereo imaging shines as a result.

Design and Features

The original Momentums were regarded highly for their audio but their architecture was a thorn in everybody’s sides. Momentum 2.0 stepped up the game with a highly portable form. They sport a leather-and-steel headband, stylishly sewn and divided by a ventilation panel. The large over-ear earpieces are lined with memory foam swaddled in luxurious leather that makes soft contact with your ears. They are fairly noise isolating and sound leakage is also curbed.

The Momentum 2.0 headphones have a removable cable. The cable fastens into the left ear piece with a twist-and-lock mechanism. There are separate versions of M 2.0, one with Android friendly cable and another with Apple-compatible cable.

Additional Perks

The steel arms of these Sennheiser headphones fold to reduce its footprint. A lovely carrying case adds to their premium value. Momentum 2.0 on-ear, over-ear wireless and on-ear wireless models are also available.

Pros:

Deep and rich sound

Powerful bass impact with sub-bass depth

All genres sound good on these

Highly comfortable to wear

Detachable cable

Separate versions for Android and iOS devices

Sound Signature specially crafted for portable playback devices

Cons:

HD 598 is another widely-applauded find from Sennheiser’s line-up. It has the amicable audio that croons well with a wide range of voices and music. However, they have an input impedance of 50 Ohms, which is higher than the average impedance driven well by smartphones and portable MP3 players. They can be the go-between headphones for your metamorphosis into an audiophile.

Audio Performance

The open-back form gives the Sennheiser HD 598 headphones an airy, open sound. Soundstage is majestic with the instruments placed widely in space. You can hear the undercurrent of details bubbling to the surface. The music plays right outside and around your head. Bass has a deep presence in the sonic realm of this Sennheiser headphone. The bass is deep and packs a lot of punch without being overbearing. It cannot be labeled enhanced, but it anneals well with the mids. Mids are plush with details and highs sound smooth. Treble lends uniform support to the bass, rounding up their case to be one of the best Sennheiser headphones.

Using an amplifier like the SMSL SD793 will create the impactful bass and bring out the texture of highs.

Design and Features

Sennheiser HD 598 is bathed in leatherette at the headband. The ivory model even has glossy Burl wood highlights. Earcups are the long oval design that would engulf even the biggest ears in velour earpads. The construction is lightweight but solid. Given the open-back design, both sound leakage and external noise are more than the closed-back headphones. These Sennheiser headphones sit snug on the noggin but they are also too awkward to be worn outside.

Additional Perks

The HD 598 Sennheiser headphones have a detachable cable that fit into the earcup with a twist-and-lock. The 3 m cable that is supplied has ¼ inch plug on the end. A converter to 3.5 mm plug is also provided in the pack.

Pros:

Smooth sound with plenty of bass

Bass expands with a portable amplifier

Plush leatherette build

Durable and comfortable

Detachable cable that locks into the headphone

3mm plug on the cable can be converted to 3.5mm with the supplied adapter

Cons:

Sennheiser HD 202 II headphones are a tease for the commoners to build their anticipation about what is in store with the higher-end Sennheiser headphones. At their lowly price, they provide a whole world of sonic nuances that will flabbergast you if you just graduated from puny stock earbuds. The HD 202 II will give you a healthy dose of what enlightened music sounds like at a delectable price.

Audio Performance

It’s amazing to see the tonal balance of Sennheiser in this cost coordinate. The HD 202 IIs are so incredibly natural sounding that they will make you do a double take. Not incensed by the fad of bumping bass as amongst its peers, their bass has oomph but sounds tame compared to Beats. They will not bow to the lossy formats as much as the contemporaries because of their penchant for details. The result is a clean sound that is versatile with regards to genres, reserving its place in the best Sennheiser headphones list.

Design and Features

The build of these Sennheiser headphones is mostly plastic. It’s sturdy and offsets the weight to almost 5 ounces. That’s pretty impressive for an over-ear headphone. Both the earcups and the headband are cushioned with faux-leather that is synergetic to the skin. The HD 202 IIs fit snug over the ears and stretch out with time. The ear pieces shield moderately against external noises. They also swivel towards the sides to adapt themselves to your head shape.

Since these are meant to be commonfolk’s professional headphones, they have a 10 foot long OFC copper cable for minimum loss. A wind-up belt clip allows you to shorten the cable for regular use.

Additional Perks

Earpads of Sennheiser HD 202 II are replaceable. A 3.5mm adapter is also supplied.

Pros:

Neutral, natural sound

Sound is rich with details

Bass is kept in check for studio-grade balance

Lightweight and durable

Comfortable to wear

10 foot long cable

Big bang for bucks

5mm adapter provided

Cons:

Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones are an attempt to make a low-midrange headphone simulate the clarity of high-end professional headphones like the HD 700. While HD 280 is not high resolution, it does have the ruler flat response that is perfect for music mixing. All ranges sound equally refined on these cans, making them one of the best Sennheiser headphones.

Audio Performance

The HD 280 Pro headphones from Sennheiser have a highly neutral sound signature. There’s no perceptible tweaking of any music element. The bass plunges deep starting at 8 Hz and rumbles with suppressed energy in the bassy tracks like Hysteria by Muse. It plays with visceral impact with the sub-bass adding its own aplomb. With the burn-in period the sound opens up a fair bit. And eventually you will marvel at how impactful the mids and treble are as well. Acoustics hit you as good as the real deal. Treble sparkles without any sibilance.

Its 64 Ohm impedance can be best utilized with an amplifier/DAC combination. A SchiitMagni 2 may pair off well with these Sennheiser headphones. This makes them sound much fuller and vibrant.

Design and Features

Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones are chunky cans. They belong in a studio rather than around your neck, on the subway, unless suddenly potential romantic interests are digging chunky headphones. Jokes aside, the 280 Pros look and mean business in their somber black design. Earcups and cranial arch are sheathed in pleather material. You cannot fault these Sennheiser headphones for comfort though. You can wear these for hours without any qualms.

The over-ear ear pieces block a lot of ambient noise passively (32 dB as per Sennheiser) and bleeding of sound outside the headphones is also rare.

Additional Perks

The cable, earpads and headband padding are all replaceable. The cord is 9.8 feet long and coiled for shock absorption. It terminates in a 3.5mm plug and comes with a 6.3mm adapter.

Pros:

Delightful balanced tone

Versatile playback in all genres with hi-fi reproduction

Sparkling treble

Replaceable pads and cable

10 feet coiled cable

3 adapter is supplied

Reliable architecture, easy on head

Good passive noise attenuation

Cons:

Sennheiser has the graduation hat in designing hi-fidelity sound. Even if it’s a miniscule, relatively low-priced earphone like the CX300 II, they don’t let natural sound be marred by adolescent instincts. CX300 II educate the IEM-wearers about the studio-fit sound and would be worth at even twice their price.

Audio Performance

CX 300 II Sennheiser earphones’ rumbling bass that will rock your workout moves. They can pep up any track with that thump. With earbuds, every brand tries to inflate the low-end to compensate for lack of details and soundstage. But these Sennheiser earphones are a revelation. They have near perfect clarity in the entire frequency spectrum and they are untouched by sibilance even at high volumes.High end is slightly jazzed up to make the audio lively. Jazz and soul music is played with the same poise as hip-hop and rap.

With the right eartips in place, they will transport you to your music nirvana, just like one of the best Sennheiser headphones is supposed to.

Design and Features

The dynamic drivers of Sennheiser CX 300 II earphones are buried in plastic casing with silver-colored accents. Eartips sit straight on the casing and invade into your ear-canal for effective noise cancellation. Using the correct size of eartips would go a long way in improving the bass response.

The cable of these Sennheiser IEMs is asymmetrical. This design does not aid strenuous physical activity. These are your regular use-headphones and do not fare well under sweat. There’s no microphone on the cable.

Additional Perks

The cable of CX 300 IIs ends in an L-shaped plug which is harder to yank off. It is shipped with eartips of different sizes and a pouch.

Pros:

Natural sound with punchy bass

Nuanced audio

Effective passive noise cancellation

Lightweight simple design

Carrying pouch and eartips included

12-Ohm impedance is easy to drive with portable devices

Cons:

Sennheiser HD 650 headphones have been around the block for over a decade now. Since then the audiophiles have graduated to high-resolution sound. The 650s are detailed to the maximum extent without sounding clinical. They toe a precarious balance at the juncture where they can still qualify as enjoyable for the general crowd and yet detailed enough for purists, a feat only the best Sennheiser headphones can achieve.

Audio Performance

The HD 650 headphones have a vast soundstage for an exciting instrument placement. The open audio in 10-39,500 Hz spectrum is versatile across formats and genres, though at their hi-fi level it would be better to ditch MP3 formats. They feature full and deep bass, coupled with pristine and perfect mid-range. It has a natural response without sounding flat or dry. Treble could have a tad more fizz. The way bass partners with the highs at highest volumes is a spectacle for ears. These Sennheiser headphones are a veritable delight that only an ultra-prude audiophile can denounce.

650s are easier on the lossy formats than similarly prices headphones in Sennheiser’s line-up.

Design and Features

Considering these are very old model of Sennheiser headphones, the HD 650s are not much of a looker. They feature the over-large over-ear ear pieces in oval shape. The headband is tough plastic. Both the earcups and the headband have been cushioned with velour which makes them ultra-soft to wear and bear. They seal against both incoming and outgoing noise moderately because of their open-back design.

The HD 650s havea Kevlar reinforced detachable cable that ends in 6.3mm studio plug, since these are meant to be professional headphones.

Additional Perks

An adapter to convert the 6.3mm plug to 3.5mm plug is provided with these headphones.

Pros:

Warm, balanced sound

Deep bass in massive soundstage

Hi fidelity sound

Forgiving on lossy formats

Highly comfortable and durable

Reinforced cable with studio jack

Cons:

Sennheiser RS 175 RF wireless headphones are from a widely-acclaimed TV/car stereo headphones line-up that rejuvenated the RF audio devices. With flawless technology for a strong connection, these headphones make movie-watching with home theatre or playing games a surreal experience.

Audio Performance

Sennheiser reports an astonishing 100 m line-of-sight range for the RS 175 headphones. While it may be difficult to test it inside your home, we can tell that the connection is pretty strong and devoid of interference if you stray to the kitchen to check how the Pasta Rigatoni is coming along. Even though they are wireless, they produce clear sound that’s balanced all over the frequency spectrum. They have s surround sound feature which makes the audio project out of your head. A bass boost option is available to kick the explosion of James Bond’s Spectre up a notch.

Design and Features

Sennheiser RS 175 headphones are closed-back cans. They are hung on a transmitter-cum-charging cradle when not in use. Both the earcups and headbands are lined with pleather material for soft comfort. The left earcup carries volume navigation button and controls for bass boost mode and surround sound mode. Sound leakage is almost null and passive noise isolation is substantial, propelling RS175 into the best Sennheiser headphones list.

These Sennheiser headphones boast of an 18 hour life on single battery charge. Based on volume levels and the modes used, this may change.

Additional Perks

RS 175 headphones can connect via optical digital means or via RCA or 3.5mm cable. All the ports and controls for connection are on the cradle. Every cable for every kind of connection is shipped with the RS 175 package.

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